#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (15-0, 8-0 B1G)
2025 B1G CHAMPIONS -- 2025 REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
2025 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 #1 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 25-3
1X All-American (3rd, 2025)
133 #8 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 17-7
1X All-American (5th, 2025)
141 #2 Beau Bartlett Sr.+ Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 26-2
3X All-American (3rd, 2023; 2nd, 2024; 3rd, 2025)
149 #3 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 25-3
2X All-American (3rd, 2023; 3rd, 2025)
157 #1 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 23-2
2X All-American (3rd, 2024/149; 3rd, 2025/157)
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 27-0
1X NCAA Champion (2025); 2X All-American (2nd, 2024; 1st, 2025)
174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 25-2
1X NCAA Champion (2024/157) -- 3X All-American (2nd, 2023/157; 1st, 2024/157; 3rd, 2025/174)
184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 26-0
5X NCAA Champion (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024/174; 2025, 184);
5X All-American (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024/174; 2025/184)
197 #4 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 20-4
1X All-American (2nd, 2025)
285 #3 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 21-3
1X NCAA Champion (2024); 5X All-American (7th, 2021; 4th, 2022; 2nd, 2023; 1st, 2024; 6th, 2025)
Individual rankings listed are tournament seed // Team ranking NCAA tournament finish
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HEAD COACH CAEL SANDERSON
THE PENN STATE YEARS
Sanderson led Penn State to a 13-6-1 dual meet record in his first season at Penn State (2009-10), much improved over the prior year’s 8-12-2 mark. After a year outside the top 10, Sanderson led the Lions back to their place among the nation’s elite with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and a No. 10 final dual meet ranking from the NWCA Coaches. Sanderson picked up three more All-Americans (including a national finalist) and a Big Ten Champion in younger brother, Cyler Sanderson.
In 2010-11, Sanderson reached the pinnacle of the collegiate coaching mountain by guiding Penn State through a stunning season filled with records, championships and memories that thrilled the Penn State faithful. Sanderson led the Nittany Lions to their first-ever Southern Scuffle Co-Championship and first Virginia Duals Championship since 1991. While guiding Penn State to a 6-1-1 conference mark, Sanderson equaled the highest Big Ten dual meet wins in Penn State history (1998). He led Penn State to the school’s first ever Big Ten Championship and was named 2011 Big Ten Coach of the Year. He became the first coach in NCAA history to be named both the Big Ten and Big 12 Coach of the Year. Saving the best for last, he led the Nittany Lions to the 2011 NCAA National Championship in Philadelphia, Penn State’s first since 1953 and Sanderson’s first as a collegiate head coach.
During the 2011-12 season, the nation watched as Sanderson led Penn State to a 13-1 dual mark, including a school record 7-1 Big Ten dual record to earn a share of the 2012 Big Ten dual meet championship. Sanderson then made it two in a row by leading Penn State to the 2012 Big Ten Championship at Purdue. He was named 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year, earning the honor for the second-straight season. Two weeks later, Sanderson led Penn State to a second-straight NCAA crown, helping Penn State to become the fifth team in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles. He was named NWCA National Coach of the Year for the second time in his career at the conclusion of the championships in Des Moines.
In 2012-13, Penn State posted an identical 13-1 mark, 7-1 Big Ten dual record and won its third-straight Big Ten Championship in Illinois in March. Sanderson earned his third-straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor (co) in the process. Two weeks after that, Sanderson guided Penn State to a thrilling third-straight NCAA crown, helping Penn State to become just the third team in NCAA history to win three-straight team titles. At the tournament’s end, he was named NWCA National Coach of the Year.
In 2013-14, Penn State went 15-1 overall and won a share of the Big Ten dual meet title with a 7-1 record. The Nittany Lions won their fourth-straight Big Ten Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, helping Sanderson win his fourth-straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor. Two weekends later, the Nittany Lions won their fourth-straight NCAA title, becoming the third team in NCAA history to win four-straight NCAA titles.
In 2014-15, Sanderson led Penn State to an 11-4 dual meet record, a fifth-straight Southern Scuffle title, garnering five All-Americans and another individual National Champion at the NCAA Championships as Matt Brown won the 174-pound title.
In 2015-16, he added a sixth-straight Southern Scuffle championships, a third Big Ten dual meet title (co-) and the 2016 NWCA National Dual Series championship. He led Penn State to its fifth Big Ten Championship in six years in Iowa City and followed that up with his fifth NCAA National Championship in six years in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
In 2016-17, Sanderson led Penn State to its second-straight NCAA title and sixth in seven years. Penn State posted a perfect 14-0 dual meet record, won the 2017 Big Ten regular season (dual meet) title and the NWCA Dual Championship Series crown for the second-straight season. Sanderson’s team posted a gaudy 35-6 record at NCAAs and won five-straight individual championships to close out the national finals.
In 2017-18, Sanderson led Penn State to its seventh NCAA title in eight years and third- straight. Penn State posted a perfect 14-0 dual meet record and won the Big Ten regular season (dual meet) title yet again. Sanderson’s team posted a superb 39-9 record at NCAAs. Penn State ended the season riding a 45-dual win streak and set an NCAA record for attendance at an indoor dual meet with 15,998 in the BJC for a win over Iowa.
In 2018-19, Sanderson closed out a decade as Penn State’s mentor by leading Penn State to its eighth NCAA title in nine years and fourth-straight for the second time in his first ten years as head coach. Penn State posted a perfect 14-0 dual meet record for the fourth-straight year, won the Big Ten regular season (dual meet) and Big Ten Tournament Championship. Sanderson’s team posted a 35-11 record at NCAAs and had the team title clinched before the finals began Saturday night. Penn State ended the season riding a 59-dual win streak. Sanderson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and InterMat National Coach of the Year.
In 2019-20, the Lion mentor led the team to a 12-2 overall record and a near-perfect 8-1 Big Ten dual meet mark. Penn State dropped two duals by a total of three points. Penn State crowned two more Big Ten Champions in true freshman Aaron Brooks and senior Mark Hall. Brooks was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The Nittany Lions advanced seven wrestlers to the 2020 NCAA Championships before the NCAA canceled the event. The NWCA named the top eight seeds at each weight first team All-Americans after the tournament was canceled, giving Sanderson five more All-Americans.
In 2020-21, Sanderson guided Penn State through a season that was shortened and altered by the NCAA’s reaction to a virus. The Nittany Lions went a perfect 6-0 in dual meets (all in the Big Ten) and earned a share of their seventh Big Ten dual meet title. Roman Bravo-Young and Aaron Brooks won Big Ten titles in the BJC and Carter Starocci was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Penn State took nine wrestlers to nationals and the Nittany Lions went a perfect 4-0 in the NCAA finalist in St. Louis, with Bravo-Young, Nick Lee, Starocci and Brooks all claiming their first individual titles. Freshmen Michael Beard and Greg Kerkvliet each placed seventh to give Sanderson six All-Americans for the year.
In 2021-22, the Nittany Lions roared into Detroit and claimed their ninth NCAA team title since Sanderson’s arrival. Penn State, winning the 9th NCAA crown in the last 11 tournaments, brought home six All-Americans (a tournament high) and went a Penn State Perfect 5-0 in the NCAA finals (following up 2021’s 4-0 run). Roman Bravo-Young, Nick Lee, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks and Max Dean all won individual titles while Greg Kerkvliet placed fourth. Sanderson was named 2022 NCAA Coach of the Championship by the NWCA at the conclusion of the event. The 36.5-point margin of victory over the second place team was the largest since the Lions outdistanced the field by 40 points in 2019.
In 2022-23, the Nittany Lions stormed into Tulsa, Okla., to claim their 10th NCAA title under Sanderson (and the 10th in the last 12 tournaments). The Nittany Lions crowned two more NCAA Champions (Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks), had five NCAA finalists and eight All-Americans. Sanderson’s team won the NCAA team title with 137.5 points and posted the fifth largest winning margin (55.0) in NCAA history. Penn State won the 2023 Big Ten Regular Season Championship and the 2023 Big Ten Championship by dominating the field a the Big Ten tournament in Ann Arbor. True freshman Levi Haines was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the third time in the last four years that a Nittany Lion has won the honor (Brooks, Starocci)
In 2023-24, Penn State produced a record-setting performance on its way to winning a third straight NCAA Championship in Kansas City. The Nittany Lions won their 11th title in the past 13 tournaments. Penn State crowned four more NCAA Champions (Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks, Greg Kerkvliet), including the school’s first two four-timers (Starocci, Brooks). Penn State had eight All-Americans, six national finalists and won the team title with an NCAA record 172.5 points. The margin of victory between Penn State and the second place team (72.5) was also an all-time record (100 points). Penn State own the 2024 Big Ten Regular Season Championship and the 2024 Big Ten Championship at the Big Ten Tournament at Maryland. Mitchell Mesenbrink was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Aaron Brooks Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Sanderson Big Ten Coach of the Year. After the NCAA title run, Brooks was named 2024 NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler, 2024 NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler and Hodge Trophy Winner.
In 2024-25, Penn State outdid its record-setting performance form a year ago, winning a fourth straight NCAA Championship in Philadelphia. The Nittany Lions won their 12th title in the past 14 tournaments. Penn State crowned two more NCAA Champions (Mitchell Mesenbrink, Carter Starocci), including the NCAA’s first ever five-time Division I Champion in Carter Starocci. Penn State became only the second team in NCAA history to have 10 All-Americans in the same tournament (joining Minnesota’s 2001 squad). The Nittany Lions had two NCAA Champions, three national finalists, had eight finish in the top three and all ten finish in the top six. Penn State ran away with the team title, scoring a record 177.0 points (breaking the mark PSU set the prior season). Starocci was named 2025 NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler and Mesenbrink won the season’s NCAA Most Technical Fall Award. Two weeks prior, Penn State won the 2025 Big Ten Championship and also claimed the 2025 Big Ten Regular Season Championship after a perfect run through the dual meet season (15-0 overall, 8-0 Big Ten).
Sanderson, who concluded his 16th year as Penn State’s head coach in 2024-25, has led the Nittany Lions to eight Southern Scuffle titles, ten B1G dual meet titles, nine Big Ten Championships, 12 NCAA Championships, collected 101 All-Americans, 40 National Champions, including an NCAA record-tying five in both 2017 and 2022, four Gorriaran winners, seven NCAA Tournament Outstanding Wrestlers, one CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, one NCAA Elite 89 winner, one NCAA Top 10 Award winner and six Hodge Trophy winners. Sanderson, who has coached 116 total All-Americans and 42 total National Champions (including his three years at Iowa State), grabbed his 200th win as Penn State’s head coach in its 29-6 win at Iowa on Feb. 9, 2024, and his 100th Big Ten dual win as Penn State’s mentor with a 23-14 win over Iowa in the BJC on 1/27/23.
#FUNSTATS AFTER THE 2025 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
// Most Individual NCAA Titles Since 2011 -- PENN STATE 40, Cornell 14, Oklahoma State 12, Ohio State 11, Iowa 8
// Penn State National Finalists Since 2011 -- 59
// Penn State in NCAA Finals Since 2011 -- 40-19 (Since 2011, winning percentage in NCAA finals is .678)
// Penn State in NCAA Semifinals Since 2011 -- 59-12 (Since 2011, winning percentage in NCAA semis is .831)
// Penn State Team Championships Since 2011 -- 12 (of 14, no NCAA tournament in 2020)
// Penn State Percentage of Team Titles Won Since 2011 - .857 (no NCAA tournament in 2020)
// Penn State has 13 NCAA Championships (12 under Sanderson), third most in NCAA history
// Penn State is the only team in the nation to win at least one individual title at EACH WEIGHT in the last decade
// Penn State is one of only two teams in NCAA history to have five individual champions in one year TWICE.
// Penn State is one of only two teams in NCAA history to have 10 All-Americans in one year.
// Penn State’s Cael Sanderson has won 12 NCAA titles as a coach, second most in NCAA history.
NITTANY LIONS WIN 12TH NCAA TITLE UNDER SANDERSON;
13TH OVERALL IN SCHOOL HISTORY
The Penn State Nittany Lions crushed the field at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 20-22, 2025, in Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. Head coach Cael Sanderson led Penn State to its 12th NCAA title in the last 14 events (no tournament in 2020), moving him into second place alone on the all-time NCAA title list for head coaches (the record is 15). Penn State lapped the field, scoring an NCAA record 177.0 points (breaking the mark of 172.5 that Penn State set last year), a full 60 points ahead of second place Nebraska’s 117.0 No other team was within 70 points. Penn State went 49-10 with ten majors, seven tech falls and seven pins at the event.
PENN STATE BECOMES ONLY SECOND TEAM EVER TO
EARN 10 ALL-AMERICANS IN ONE YEAR
Penn State’s record setting performance in claiming the 2025 NCAA Championship in Philadelphia was driven by a strong balanced performance from all 10 of its wrestlers at the event. All 10 Nittany Lions became All-Americans, marking only the second time in NCAA history that a team has achieved that benchmark (Minnesota, 2001). Carter Starocci and Mitchell Mesenbrink won national titles, Josh Barr was national runner-up, five Nittany Lions earned third place laurels (Luke Lilledahl, Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van Ness, Tyler Kasak, Levi Haines), Braeden Davis took fifth and Greg Kerkvliet battled through injury to a sixth place finish. All 10 Lions placed in the top six, and eight finished in the top three.
CARTER STAROCCI MAKES HISTORY AS NCAA’S
FIRST AND ONLY 5X NATIONAL CHAMPION; named o.w.
Carter Starocci made history at the 2025 NCAA Championships, becoming the NCAA’s first and only five-time National Champion. Starocci dominated the field at 184, going 5-0 with two technical falls and a major to win his fifth straight crown. Starocci began the tournament with two tech falls before majoring #8 Jaxon Smith of Maryland in the quarterfinals. He followed that up with a dominant 9-3 win over #4 Dustin Plott of Oklahoma State and then downed defending 184-pound champion #2 Parker Keckeisen 4-3 in the national finals. Starocci ended the 2024-25 season with a 26-0 record and concludes his Penn State career with a 104-4 career record. He was named 2025 NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler at the conclusion of the tournament.
MITCHELL MESENBRINK CLAIMS 165 NATIONAL TITLE;
WINS NCAA’S SEASON TECHNICAL FALL AWARD
Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink stormed through the bracket at the 2025 NCAA Championships, earning his first NCAA individual national title and second All-America honor at 165. Mesenbrink went 5-0 with two technical falls and a major to win the crown. He opened the tournament with two technical falls before shutting out #8 Cameron Amine of Oklahoma State 5-0 in the quarterfinals. He then majored #12 Chris Minto of Nebraska 13-2 in the semifinals before rolling to an 8-2 win over #3 Mikey Caliendo of Iowa in the title match. Mesenbrink ended the year with a 27-0 record and is 55-1 in his career. He had 18 tech falls this season and was presented with the NCAA’s Technical Falls Award.
FRESHMAN JOSH BARR ADVANCES TO FINALS; EARNS
NATIONAL RUNNER-UP AND ALL-AMERICA LAURELS
Redshirt freshman Josh Barr overcame a late season injury to advance to the national finals in his first trip to the NCAA Championship. Barr went 4-1 with two majors. in Philadelphia, earned National Runner-Up status and became an All-American. Barr opened the tournament with two wins before rolling to a 14-3 major over #5 Michael Beard of Lehigh in the quarterfinals. Barr then took out #1 Jacob Cardenas of Michigan 5-3 in the semifinals before losing a hard-fought 5-2 match to #2 Stephen Buchanan of Iowa in the finals. Barr ended the 2024-25 season with a 20-4 overall record.
ALL-AMERICANS LILLEDAHL, BARTLETT, VAN NESS, KASAK, HAINES GIVE PENN STATE FIVE THIRD PLACE FINISHERS
Penn State clinched the 2025 NCAA crown early in the day Saturday at the start of a stellar fifth session on March 22. Penn State posted a stellar 11-2 overall record among seven All-Americans (with one included loss an injury default). Five of those seven wrestlers went 2-0 to place third. True freshman Luke Lilledahl capped off a 6-1 run at his first tournament with a third place finish at 125. Lilledahl had two tech falls and a pin. He ended the tournament by pinning #2 Matt Ramos of Purdue (6:18) in the third place match. Lilledahl went 25-3 as a true freshman. Beau Bartlett capped off a stellar Penn State career as a three-time All-American with another third place finish at 141. Bartlett went 5-1 overall, including an 11-2 major over #10 CJ Composto of Penn in the third place bout. Bartlett went 26-2 this season and leaves Penn State with a 100-20 career record. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness became a two-time All-American with another third place finish at 149. Van Ness went 5-1 with two pins and two majors, including a Saturday pin over #12 Ethan Stiles of Oregon State (1:06) and a 15-4 major over #13 Dylan D’Emilio of Ohio State in the third place match. Van Ness ended the season with a 25-3 record. Sophomore Tyler Kasak became a two-time All-American with a second straight third place finish, this time up at 157. Kasak went 6-1 with two pins and a major, the major coming in the third place bout (an 8-0 win over #20 Trevor Chumbley of Northwestern). Kasak went 23-2 this year. Junior Levi Haines became a three-time All-American with a third place finish up two weights at 174. Haines had a pin and a major, with the major coming in the third place bout, an 11-3 win over #11 Patrick Kennedy of Iowa. Haines went 25-2 this past season.
DAVIS AND KERKVLIET ROUND OUT PENN STATE’S
10 ALL-AMERICA PERFORMERS
Sophomore Braeden Davis and senior Greg Kerkvliet earned All-America laurels for Penn State to help drive the Nittany Lions’ record-setting performance at the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia. Davis went 5-2 up at his new weight, 133, including a major and a pin. The pin, his first in college, came over #6 Connor McGonagle of Virginia Tech in the fifth place bout on Saturday. Kerkvliet overcame a knee injury suffered the week prior to the tournament to become Penn State’s fifth five-time All-American. Kerkvliet muscled his way to three straight wins, including a tech fall, before losing in the semifinals and injury defaulting out of the tournament. Kerkvliet went 3-2 overall and ended the year with a 21-3 overall record. Kerkvliet leaves Penn State as a National Champion (2024), two time national finalist (2023, 2024) and five time All-American. He caps off his career with a 92-13 overall record.
CARTER STAROCCI AND CAEL SANDERSON EARN
BIG TEN POST-SEASON HONORS
Graduate Carter Starocci was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year on Sunday, March 9, after Penn State won the 2025 Big Ten Championship at Northwestern. Starocci won his third Big Ten title (and first at 184) and was honored by the conference’s head coaches with the award. Head coach Cael Sanderson was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year, earning the award for the ninth time after leading Penn State to its ninth conference crown (all under Sanderson’s tutelage).
PENN STATE CROWNS FIVE BIG TEN CHAMPIONS,
TYING SCHOOL RECORD FOR CHAMPS
The Penn State Nittany Lions had five wrestlers win individual Big Ten titles at the 2025 Big Ten Championships at Northwestern. True freshman Luke Lilledahl won at 125 and sophomore Tyler Kasak won at 157, both earning their first crowns. Mitchell Mesenbrink won his second at 165. Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184) both won their third, albeit at new weights for each wrestler. The five individual champions ties a school record for most champs in a season (2011 and 2024). Penn State won the 2025 Big Ten title with 181.5 points, also a school record.
KERKVLIET, BARTLETT, VAN NESS, DAVIS, BARR
ALL PLACE AT B1GS, EARN NCAA BIDS
Penn State qualified all 10 wrestlers for the national tournament. In addition to its five champions, Greg Kerkvliet (2nd at 285), Beau Bartlett (3rd at 141), Shayne Van Ness (3rd at 149), Braeden Davis (4th at 133) and Josh Barr (6th at 197) all earned automatic bids to Philadelphia with their performances in Evanston.
NITTANY LIONS WIN NINTH BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP,
SETTING NEW SCHOOL RECORD FOR POINTS SCORED
Penn State ran away from the field at the 2025 Big Ten Championships in Evanston, Ill., on Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9. In addition to crowning five champions and qualifying all ten wrestlers for nationals, the Nittany Lions set a new school record for points scored at the event, tallying 181.5 and breaking the old mark of 170.5 set last year in 2024. Penn State was a full 44.5 points ahead of second place Nebraska (137.0).
NITTANY LIONS HAMMER AMERICAN IN DUAL FINALE
The Nittany Lions capped off their dual meet season on Friday, Feb. 21, with a 50-3 win over visiting American University in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions picked up five pins (Tyler Kasak, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Josh Barr, Greg Kerkvliet) and four technical falls (Luke Lilledahl, Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van Ness, Mitchell Mesenbrink) in the win. Braeden Davis did not wrestle.
BEAU BARTLETT EARNS B1G W.o.W honors (2/19)
Bartlett continued his outstanding 2024-25 season, going 2-0 in two road duals for 2025 Big Ten Regular Season Champion Penn State. He began the weekend road trip by downing No. 1 Jesse Mendez 4-2 in the Nittany Lions’ 27-13 victory at Ohio State. Bartlett notched the only takedown of the bout in the first period and added an escape in the hard-fought win. Two days later, Bartlett dominated No. 17 Danny Pucino of Illinois, rolling to a 9-2 win. Bartlett’s victory helped Penn State clinch the 2025 Big Ten Regular Season title with a 29-9 victory at Illinois. Bartlett earned Penn State’s 11th award of the year with the honor.
NITTANY LIONS CLINCH 11TH B1G REGULAR SEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 29-9 VICTORY AT ILLINOIS
The Penn State Nittany Lions closed out the conference portion of their dual meet schedule with a dominant 29-9 win at #19 Illinois on Sunday, Feb. 16, clinching their 11th Big Ten Regular Season Championship in the process. The Nittany Lions won seven of ten bouts with a tech fall, three majors, and Carter Starocci’s DQ win (on six forced stalls) over #12 Edmond Ruth.
BARTLETT DOWNS MENDEZ AS LIONS ROLL OVER
BUCKEYES IN COLUMBUS
Nittany Lion Beau Bartlett used a first period takedown and a second period escape to defeat then top-ranked Jesse Mendez 4-2 in Penn State’s 27-13 victory over Ohio State in Columbus. Bartlett’s win was one of seven for Penn State, which also got technical falls from Mitchell Mesenbrink at 165, Carter Starocci at 184 and Josh Barr at 197. Levi Haines also took down #5 Carson Kharchla at 174, Braeden Davis beat #11 Nic Bouzakis at 133 and Shayne Van Ness beat #7 Dylan D’Emilio at 149.
JOSH BARR NAMED B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK (2/11)
Nittany Lion freshman Josh Barr was Josh Barr has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week ending February 12, 2025. Barr earns the honor after a 2-0 weekend for the Nittany Lions, who continued to dominate Big Ten competition. The award is the 10th of the year for the Nittany Lions (Wrestler and Freshman). He used a late reversal to beat then No. 2 Josh Cardenas of Michigan Friday night and then teched Maryland’s Chase Mielnik on Sunday.
PENN STATE HOLDS MARYLAND TO NO TAKEDOWNS
IN LOPSIDED VICTORY IN REC HALL
The Nittany Lions kept their foes from securing a single takedown for the second time in three days when Penn State beat Maryland 35-10 on Sunday, Feb. 9, in Rec Hall. Led by Carter Starocci’s 20-3 tech fall over #11 Jaxon Smith, Penn State tallied five tech falls in the lopsided win. Joining Starocci with techs in the dual were Luke Lilledahl, Shayne Van Ness, Mitchell Mesenbrink and Josh Barr.
BARR DOWNS #2 CARDENAS AS NITTANY LIONS
SHUT OUT MICHIGAN 39-0 IN BJC DUAL
Penn State won all ten bouts in a rousing 39-0 shutout of visiting Michigan on Friday, Feb. 7, in another BJC Dual. The win featured pins from Luke Lilledahl and Levi Haines and a 3-2 tiebreaker win for Josh Barr over then No. 2 Jacob Cardenas at 197. The Nittany Lions did not give up a takedown in the dual.
kasak and lilledahl win b1g weekly honors
after lions dominated iowa
Sophomore Tyler Kasak and true freshman Luke Lilledahl swept Big Ten wrestling’s weekly honors after the Nittany Lions dominated Iowa 30-8 in the Bryce Jordan Center. Kasak posted a 5-2 win over then top-ranked Jacori Teemer at 157 to earn Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors. Lilledahl rolled to a 22-6 tech fall over #26 Joey Cruz at 125 to earn B1G Freshman of the Week laurels.
PENN STATE WINS 8 OF 10 IN 30-8 VICTORY OVER #2 IOWA
Penn State won eight of ten bouts against #2 Iowa in a 30-8 win over the Hawkeyes in the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, Jan. 31. The Lions thrilled a record-tying crowd of 15,998, for largest dual meet attendance for an indoor wrestling match. Penn State also owns the other two, against Iowa, in the BJC. Penn State got a tech fall from Luke Lilledahl at 125, a win from Beau Bartlett at 141, a major from Shayne Van Ness at 149, a win from Tyler Kasak at 157, a tech fall from Mitchell Mesenbrink at 165, a win from Levi Haines at 174, a win from Carter Starocci at 184 and a major from Greg Kerkvliet at 285. This marks the second straight year that Penn State has won eight of ten bouts against the Hawkeyes.
SOPHOMORE TRIO NOTCHES TOP-2 WINS
IN VICTORY OVER IOWA
Sophomores Tyler Kasak, Mitchell Mesenbrink and Shayne Van Ness each notched impressive top-two victories over their respective combatants in Penn State’s 30-8 win over Iowa on Friday, Jan. 31, in the Bryce Jordan Center. Van Ness dominated #2 Kyle Parco at 149, rolling to a 17-6 major. Kasak took down #1 Jacori Teemer 5-2 at 157 to send Penn State into halftime with a 15-5 lead. Mesenbrink began the second half by controlling #2 Mikey Caliendo in a convincing 19-4 technical fall (6:24).
PENN STATE ROARS AT RUTGERS
The Penn State Nittany Lions roared in front of a sold out Jersey Mike’s Arena crowd at Rutgers on Friday, Jan. 24 in Piscataway, N.J. Penn State won nine of ten matches, including four tech falls, to roll to a 35-3 win over #25 Rutgers. Shayne Van Ness (149), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Carter Starocci (184) and Josh Barr (197) all posted tech falls. Barr’s tech fall, of note, featured 22 unanswered points in less than 3:00 in the third period. He turned a 0-0 tie heading into the third into a 22-6 tech fall over #16 Josh Poznanski, a returning All-American, at 6:19. Carter Starocci teched #18 Shane Cartagena-Walsh 17-2, a bout that saw Starocci force the Knight into four stall warnings.
NITTANY LIONS ROUT #4 NEBRASKA IN LINCOLN,
LIONS WIN 8 OF 10 IN FRONT OF NEARLY 7K FANS
Penn State routed homestanding Nebraska 31-7 in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday, Jan. 17, winning eight of ten bouts in front of a Nebraska record crowd of over 6,600 fans. Penn State used three tech falls and a major, as well as a number of impressive regular decisions, to grab the win. True freshman Luke Lilledahl downed #6 Caleb Smith 4-2 at 125 and sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink posted a 20-3 tech fall (5:39) over #7 Bubba Wilson as well.
NITTANY LIONS TIE ALL-TIME MARGIN OF VICTORY RECORD
WITH 55-0 SHUTOUT WIN OVER MICHIGAN STATE
The Penn State Nittany Lions opened up Big Ten dual action on Friday, Jan. 10, by shutting out visiting Michigan State 55-0 in Rec Hall. Penn State tied its all-time record for margin of victory with the effort (Buffalo, 55-0, Feb. 18, 2018). The Nittany Lions had six pins (Greg Kerkvliet, Shayne Van Ness, Tyler Kasak, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Josh Barr), three technical falls (Luke Lilledahl, Braeden Davis, Mitchell Mesenbrink) and a major (Beau Bartlett).
BECKETT RUNNER-UP AT F&M, 5 LIONS COMPETE
Senior Sam Beckett went 4-1 with three majors to take second place at 174 in the Franklin & Marshall Open on Friday, Jan. 10. Four other Lions competed as well: Cael Nasdeo picked up two wins at 141, Brock Weiss grabbed two wins at 149 and Ty Watson won twice at 157. Tim Levine picked up a victory at 141.
ZACK RYDER NAMED B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK (1/8)
Freshman Zack Ryder was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week ending Jan. 5, 2025. Ryder was one of nine Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers to head to the 2025 Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Jan. 4-5. He rolled through a strong field at 184 to claim the 184-pound title as a true freshman. Ryder went 5-0 overall with a pin and a tech fall. He posted a dominant 9-2 win over No. 22 DJ Parker of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals and then pinned No. 25 TJ Stewart of Virginia Tech in the semifinals. He downed Northern Colorado’s Al Heeg 6-1 (sv) in the finals.
THREE LIONS WIN SCUFFLE TITLES, FIVE PLACE AT UTC
Penn State sent nine individuals to Chattanooga for the 2025 Southern Scuffle on Jan. 4-5 and three true freshmen won titles. Five Penn Staters placed overall. Zack Ryder went 5-0 with a pin and a tech to win the crown at 184. He beat #22 DJ Parker of Oklahoma 9-2 in the quarters and pinned #25 TJ Stewart of Virginia Tech in the semis on his way to the championship. Connor Mirasola went 5-0 with a pin, two techs and a major to win at 197, downing #30 Patrick Brophy of The Citadel 7-3 in the finals. Cole Mirasola went 4-0 with two techs and a major to win at 285. He downed #29 Connor Barkett of Duke in the quarters and majored #25 Lucas Stoddard of Army in the finals. Sophomore Connor Pierce went 4-1 to place second at 149 and senior+ Kurt McHenry went 6-2 to take fifth at 125.
NASDEO WINS EDINBORO OPEN CROWN; BECKETT SECOND
True freshman Cael Nasdeo went 3-0 with a tech and a major (plus a non-collegiate win) to claim the 141 pound title at the Edinboro Open on Jan. 4. Redshirt freshman Sam Beckett went 2-1 at 174 and took second place.
PENN STATE NEARLY PERFECT IN NASHVILLE
The Penn State Nittany Lions went 3-0 at the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn., on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in dominant fashion. The Nittany Lions notched two shutout wins and went 29-1 overall in their three duals. Penn State shutout Binghamton 52-0 and #15 Little Rock 44-0 and downed #8 Missouri 41-3. The Nittany Lions had 29 wins, 22 for bonus (four majors, eight technical falls, eight pins and two forfeits) and outscored its three opponents 135-3.
PENN STATE ROARS TO 41-3 WIN OVER #8 MISSOURI
TO CLOSE OUT COLLEGIATE DUALS IN NASHVILLE
Penn State roared to a 41-3 win over #8 Missouri on Sunday, Dec. 22, to close out the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville. Beau Bartlett posted a 4-1 win over #16 Josh Edmond at 141 and Carter Starocci majored #10 Colton Hawks 10-1 at 184 to lead Penn State. Levi Haines, ranked #2 at 174, lost a thrilling 4-1 sudden victory decision to #1 Keegan O’Toole in the dual’s marquee match up.
NITTANY LIONS POST THIRD STRAIGHT SHUTOUT,
BLANKING #15 LITTLE ROCK AT JOURNEYMEN
Josh Barr posted a 4-1 (sv) win over #5 Stephen Little at 197 and Braeden Davis downed #5 Nassir Bailey 1-0 at 133 to spark Penn State to a 44-0 shutout win over #15 Little Rock in its second dual at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals on Dec. 22. The shutout was Penn State’s third straight. The Lions also got ranked wins from Shayne Van Ness, who pinned #16 Jordan Williams at 149; Tyler Kasak, a 4-2 winner over #20 Matty Bianchi at 157; and Mitchell Mesenbrink, who roared to a 17-1 tech over #21 Joey Bianchi at 165.
PENN STATE SHUTS OUT BINGHAMTON in Nashville
The Nittany Lions opened up the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals with a 52-0 shutout win over Binghamton. Luke Lilledahl posted a 19-4 tech over #33 Carson Wagner and Carter Starocci pinned #23 Will Ebert to spark Penn State.
BARR EARNS SECOND B1G FRESHMAN
OF THE WEEK AWARD (12/25)
Redshirt freshman Josh Barr was named Big Ten Freshman of the week for the week ending Dec. 22, 2024, his second honor of the season. Barr went 3-0 at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville on Sunday, Dec. 22. He had a tech fall in PSU’s win over Binghamton and a pin in the Lion win over Missouri. Barr also used a takedown in extra time to post a thrilling 4-1 (sv) win over #5 Stephen Little in the Nittany Lions’ victory over Little Rock.
BARTLETT AND LILLEDAHL EARN
B1G WEEKLY HONORS (12/18)
Senior+ Beau Bartlett was named B1G Wrestler of the week and true freshman Luke Lilledahl was named B1G Freshman of the Week for the week ending Dec. 18, 2024. Bartlett pinned No. 28 Cole Brooks and Lilledahl posted a 20-5 tech fall at 4:25 over Jack Braman in Penn State’s 54-0 shutout win over visiting Wyoming in the Bryce Jordan Center.
PENN STATE SHUTS OUT WYOMING 54-0 IN JORDAN CENTER
The Penn State Nittany Lions rolled to a 54-0 shut out win over visiting Wyoming on Sunday, Dec. 15. The dual, moved to the Bryce Jordan Center earlier in the week due to scheduling conflicts with the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament in Rec Hall, was wrestled in front of over 7,300 fans, turning a Rec Hall sellout into an even bigger crowd for the Cowboy dual. Penn State had five pins, four technical falls and a major in posting its second most lopsided win ever (55-0 over Buffalo on Feb. 18, 2018).
JOSH BARR MAJORS #6 BEARD TO LEAD PENN STATE
IN 36-3 WIN OVER LEHIGH IN ALLENTOWN’S PPL CENTER; named B1G freshman of the week
Red shirt freshman Josh Barr tallied three takedowns (one in the second and two in a dominant third) to roll to an 11-3 major decision over #6 Michael Beard at 197, leading Penn State to a 36-3 win over the Mountain Hawks. The dual was wrestled in Allentown’s PPL Center in front of a sold out crowd of nearly 10,000 fans. Penn State won nine of ten bouts, also picking up a win from true freshman Luke Lilledahl over #15 Sheldon Seymour at 125. Barr was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week (12/12) for his efforts.
KELLY WINS MAT-TOWN I TITLE, LEVINE RUNNER-UP
Jack Kelly went 3-0 with two pins (in 0:13 and 0:46 seconds) to win the 174 pound title at the Mat-Town Invitational on Dec. 1 in Lock Haven, Pa. Tim Levine went 1-1 plus a non-collegiate victory to earn a runner-up finish at 133 while Sam Beckett went 2-1 to place third at 174.
MITCHELL MESENBRINK EARNS B1G W.O.W. HONORS (11/27)
Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink went 4-0 with four technical falls at the Black Knight Invitational on Sunday, Nov. 24, to earn the 165 pound title at West Point, N.Y., earning tournament Outstanding Wrestler honors. He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the week ending Nov. 24, 2024, for his efforts.
NITTANY LIONS DOMINATE BLACK KNIGHT INVITATIONAL
The Penn State Nittany Lions dominated the 2024 Black Knight Invitational at Army West Point on Nov. 24. The Nittany Lions won nine of the 10 individual titles, 18 of their 22 competitors placed in the top six and every Penn Stater garnered at least one win. With results against teammates not counting as official NCAA bouts, three of Penn State’s titles included shared crowns with teammates not wrestling each other in the title bouts. Luke Lilledahl (125), Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink 165), Levi Haines/Matt Lee (174), Carter Starocci/Zack Ryder (184), Lucas Cochran (197) and Greg Kerkvliet/Cole Mirasola (285) were champs. Alex Facundo (157) and Lucas Cochran (197) were runners-up. Kurt McHenry (125) and Connor Mirasola (197) placed third. Penn State rolled up a 55-9 overall record at the event, including seven majors, 24 tech falls and 15 pins (46 of its 55 wins were for bonus). Various matches that pitted Nittany Lions against each other are not included in those totals.
NITTANY LIONS ROLL OVER DREXEL
41-3 IN SEASON OPENER
The Penn State Nittany Lions opened up the regular season with a 41-3 victory over visiting Drexel on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Rec Hall. True freshman Luke Lilledahl received a forfeit win at 125 in his collegiate debut and Greg Kerkvliet closed out the dual with a pin at 285. In between, the Nittany Lions picked up three decisions and four straight tech falls in the second half to roll to the win. Levis Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184) competed the night before in the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition and posted tech falls the next day in the win over the Dragons. Also grabbing victories were Braeden Davis (133), Connor Pierce (149), Alex Facundo (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) and Lucas Cochran (197).
PSU SHINES AT ALL-STAR CLASSIC EXHIBITION
While Penn State’s official season began on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Rec Hall when the Nittany Lions beat Drexel, five Nittany Lions took part in the NWCA All-Star Classic exhibition the night before. The exhibition, not an official NCAA event and does not count towards wins, losses or RPI, featured Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184). Bartlett dropped a hard-fought 4-1 decision to No. 2 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State, Van Ness rolled to a 16-4 major over No. 3 Ty Watters of West Virginia, Kasak posted a 4-2 win over No. 3 Peyten Keller of Ohio, Haines notched a 7-0 win over No. 3 Cade DeVos of South Dakota State and Starocci grabbed a hard-fought 4-1 (sv) win over No. 2 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa.